Activity
Center of Science and Industry

Cosi Columbus: Balloon Rockets [Pdf]

For Students 3rd - 8th
Science experiment that demonstrates Newton's Third Law by launching rockets made out of balloons. Includes full list of materials, procedures, and scientific explanation of what causes balloons to shoot forward and how you can make them...
Lesson Plan
Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (SMILE)

Smile: Measuring the Gravitational Constant, G

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A demonstration/lab idea for determining the numerical value of the universal gravitation constant using a torsion balance.
eBook
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Interactive Physics for High School

For Students 9th - 10th
This digital textbook covers core physics concepts and includes interactive features, real world examples, videos, and study guides.
Unit Plan
Curated OER

Zona Land: Mechanics and Vectors

For Students 9th - 10th
An exceptional tutorial on the topic of vectors that offers many helpful graphics, some of which are interactive.
Unit Plan
NASA

Nasa: Vectors

For Students 9th - 10th
This site from NASA provides an excellent tutorial on vectors and their use in physics to describe the motion of objects. Vector addition and resolution are illustrated.
Website
NASA

Nasa: Beginner's Guide to Aerodynamics

For Students 9th - 10th
Includes exhaustive information and a wealth of activities pertaining to aerodynamics and the physics of flight.
Handout
Upper Canada District School Board

Tom Stretton's Chemistry Pages: Universal Gravitation

For Students 9th - 10th
Deepen your understanding about the Law of Universal Gravitation. Find out how the many scientists throughout history contributed to one of the most widely known scientific theories.
Website
NASA

Nasa: Beginner's Guide to Aerodynamics

For Students 9th - 10th
This site from NASA uses a colorful graphic to illustrate why objects reach terminal velocity. Provides equation for the terminal velocity of an object. Graphic is accompanied by a simple explanation.
Whiteboard
ClassFlow

Class Flow: Forces in Action

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
[Free Registration/Login Required] This flipchart explains weight and gravity and engages students in activities using force and motion.
Activity
University of Minnesota

The Physics of Flight: Bernoulli's Principle

For Students 9th - 10th
Discusses air flow around the wing of a plane and its effect upon the lift and drag forces. Focuses on the application of Bernoulli's principle to wing design and the subsequent airfoil shapes.
Lesson Plan
NASA

Nasa: Mass vs. Weight

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Several learning modules that explain the difference between mass and weight. Each module includes a video introduction and detailed lesson plan.
Article
Other

Bscs: Forces and Motion Content Background Document

For Teachers K - 1st
In this document, we will try to answer a fundamental question of physical science, "Why do things start to move, slow down, speed up, stop moving or change direction?" In answering these core questions we can develop concepts that can...
Graphic
Curated OER

Educational Technology Clearinghouse: Clip Art Etc: Sir Isaac Newton

For Students 9th - 10th
(1642-1727) English natural philosopher, mathematician, and physicist most famous for gravity and his laws of motion.
Website
University of Virginia

Uva Physics: Using Vectors to Describe Motion

For Students 9th - 10th
Background information on vectors and their use in describing motion in two dimensions. A comparison of Aristotle's and Galileo's perspectives on force and motion is given.
Activity
Science Bob Pflugfelder

Science Bob: The Lincoln High Dive

For Students 5th - 8th
Instructions for a science demonstration of Newton's first law of motion using common supplies. Learn how to turn the demonstration into an experiment.
Unknown Type
Physics Aviary

Physics Aviary: Practice Problems: Billy on Hill (Level 2)

For Students 9th - 10th
Students must predict the distance traveled by a person on a sled. The person will start with potential energy due to gravity and then lose some energy on a hill. They will then lose the remaining energy on a level surface. You have to...
Lesson Plan
Khan Academy

Khan Academy: Start: How Do Computers Simulate the Motion of Virtual Particles?

For Students 9th - 10th
In this lesson we'll explore how we use fairly simple physics to draw particles which move according to the forces we feel in the real world (such as wind & gravity).
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: The Science of Fun!

For Teachers 4th
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about the science behind circus acts. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Interactive
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Physics Simulation: Walk the Tightrope

For Students 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login Required] Understand the concept of rotational inertia [moment of inertia) by analyzing the motion of a circus tightrope walker using this interactive simulation. A PDF worksheet and a video tutorial are also...
Online Course
Cosmo Learning

Cosmo Learning: Fundamentals of Physics

For Students 9th - 10th
A collection of video lectures from a fundamentals of physics course taught at Yale University. The course is an introduction to physics and discusses Newtonian mechanics, special relativity, gravity, thermodynamics, and waves. Course...
Activity
PBS

Pbs Teachers: Weightlessness Experiment

For Students Pre-K - 1st
Demonstrate how water and a cup fall at the same rate of speed.
eBook
NASA

Nasa: The Way Things Fall

For Students 9th - 10th
This site from NASA compares free falling motion to falling with air resistance. Discusses Galileo's experiment. Explains why we believe all objects free fall with the same acceleration.
Website
University of St. Andrews (UK)

University of St. Andrews: Orbits and Gravitation

For Students 9th - 10th
A page describing the physics, mathematics, and historical figures associated with planetary motion, satellite motion, and universal gravitation.
Website
MadSci Network

The Mad Scientist Network: Bouncing Rubber Ball

For Students 9th - 10th
A question and answer format is used to relate elastic potential energy to the bounce of a rubber ball. Explanation of this simple phenomenon is thorough, complete, and free of trite statements.